Ukrainian Magura V5 drones: the formidable weapons sinking Russia's Black Sea Fleet
Let's recall that the Russians lost another ship on Thursday, February 1. Ukrainian military intelligence released a brief video showing the moment of impact - a sea drone striking one of the vessels of the Black Sea Fleet. It wasn't initially disclosed by the Ukrainians what particular weapon was employed for the attack - experts’ conjectures, however, suggested several drones, including the Magura V5 or Sea Baby.
The day following the strike, Kyrylo Budanov disclosed the specifics of the sinking of the Russians' ship. He clarified that the Ukrainians attacked with Magura V5 drones - as the Belsat portal reports. - Six direct hits to the hull were completed using anti-ship drones. As a result, the ship was listed and sank, as stated by the head of Ukrainian intelligence.
Overview of the Magura V5 sea drones
The aforementioned Magura V5 sea drones are popular units used by the defending army in the Black Sea. Numerous videos have been posted online showcasing the drone "hunts" pursued on enemy ships. Alongside the Sea Baby, the Magura V5 are among the equipment that poses a significant threat to Russian vessels.
Primarily, this is because the Magura above V5s are large drones, measuring approximately 5.5 metres long and about 1.5 metres wide. The structure can reach a speed of roughly 75 km/h (or 46.6 mph), rendering it a challenging target to strike during an attack.
Their substantial size allows the Magura V5 to carry significant explosives. The drone's payload capacity is around 320 kg. However, the weaponry weighs approximately 200 kg. Despite this, it is still enough to threaten the ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Furthermore, the drone can cover a distance as great as approximately 800 km all in one go. This impressive range highlights another advantage of the Magura V5 unit. The drone serves multiple purposes including acting as a kamikaze drone and conducting surveillance and search operations at sea. This allows the Ukrainians to target anti-ship missiles at enemy units and concurrently attack them from the sea - by using drones.
